The following statement was released today by the AAUP and AFT-Wisconsin:

A series of recent actions taken by Governor Scott Walker, the Wisconsin state legislature, and the University of Wisconsin system board of regents represents a concerted attack on the university as a public good and on the university’s role in fostering democratic participation. The stewards of the university system appear determined to destroy it.

In 2011, Governor Walker proposed, and the legislature passed, Act 10, curtailing the system faculty’s rights to negotiate collectively. In 2015, the legislature severely

United Faculty and Academic Staff (UFAS), American Federation of Teachers Local 223, AFL-CIO, thanks everyone who has supported our campaign to end intimidation of workers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

We have exceeded our goal for petition signatures: over two months we have collected, online and on paper, over 500 signatures from supporters on the UW–Madison campus and elsewhere in the UW System, in the state of Wisconsin, and nationwide.

With such broad support, UFAS pledges to continue working to improve the pay, due process rights, and job security of academic staff and faculty at

THE UW WORKER BILL OF RIGHTS:  STANDARDS FOR THE WORKERS WHO MAKE PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION WORK IN WISCONSIN

Preamble:

The Constitution of the State of Wisconsin provides for “the establishment of a state university at or near the seat of state government, and for connecting with the same, from time to time, such colleges in different parts of the state as the interests of education may require.” And state law furthermore calls on the University of Wisconsin “to develop human resources, to discover and disseminate knowledge, to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its

Chippewa Falls, WI – School districts across Wisconsin have faced devastating budget cuts under the Walker administration, and this year’s budget is no exception.  With greatly expanded access to voucher programs, the promised per pupil increase will hardly alleviate the strain districts continue to feel.  Yet the Walker administration continues to tout their overnight change of heart when it comes to public education, and visiting the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District provides a perfect photo-op for the Governor’s re-election campaign.

“When Governor Walker says that he supports

The American Federation of Teachers Local 212 at Milwaukee Area Technical College responded to President Trump’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that protects from deportation more than 800,000 young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.

Dr. Lisa Conley, Local 212 president and Life Sciences instructor, said, “The Trump administration’s decision to throw 800,000 young people out of this country is an outright betrayal of our nation’s democratic values. The young people targeted by this action are American in

Yesterday, in response to Charlottesville, AFT President Randi Weingarten called on US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and all state attorney generals to use their powers to ensure the safety and security of all communities.  In her letter to Wisconsin Attorney General, Brad Schimel, Weingarten calls for "a clear plan of action that will ensure that bias-motivated violence and harassment is prosecuted swiftly and agressively."  

AFT-WI President, Kim Kohlhaas, joined Weingarten's calls for clear and decisisive action from AG Schimel.  "We cannot allow hate and intolerance to go unchecked in

MATC AFT LOCAL 212 CALLS-OUT HYPOCRISY IN WALKER-TRUMP TECH COLLEGE VISIT

The union representing the state’s largest group of skilled trades educators slammed President Trump’s and Governor Walker’s tour of Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) as nothing more than a politically-motivated public relations stunt.

“Sheer hypocrisy,” declared Dr. Lisa Conley, President of AFT Local 212, “Trump and Walker are using WCTC and its students for a photo-op while pushing policies that undermine apprenticeship and skilled trades training,” Conley explained.

“We need to invest in our skilled workforce

For Immediate Release:  May 2, 2017

The University of Wisconsin has faced cuts in five of the last six budget cycles. In fact, since 2011, cuts to the UW have totaled $795 million. This comes at a time when most states, under both Democratic and Republican control, have decided to reinvest in their colleges and universities.

Cuts to the UW have resulted in fewer and bigger classes, fewer advisors, and more time to a degree for students. Because the state has cut the UW budget while freezing tuition, our students have suffered more than ever, and the quality of our world-renowned university is at

Madison – Once again, faculty and staff at technical colleges across the state have voted to re-certify their unions at increasingly large margins, despite repeated attempts by the Walker administration to discourage unionization.  Act 10, which was written to undermine public sector unions, also requires an annual vote to re-certify the union.

Dr. Michael Rosen, President of Milwaukee Area Technical College AFT Local 212 noted, “MATC educators have once again rejected Governor Walker’s attempt to strip educators of their right to organize and have a voice